DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SOLID LIPID NANOPARTICLES BY SOLVENT DIFFUSION- EVAPORATION METHOD FOR TOPICAL DELIVERY

The aim of the present study was to prepare solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) for the topical delivery. Tristearin was used as solid lipid with soya lecithin by using surfactant, Poloxamer 188 (1%) and Tween 80 (0.5%). Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) loaded with Flucanazole were prepared by solvent diffusion- emulsification method. The properties of the SLNs such as particle size, zeta potential (ZP), Polydispersity index (PI) and drug % entrapment efficiency (% EE) were investigated. The morphology of SLNs was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The drug release behavior was studied by in vitro method using franz diffusion cell with dialysis membrane. The results show the formulation F2 had smallest particle size of 122±3.42 nm with Zeta potential -24.03±1.84 and Polydispersity index 0.668±3.21. The % Entrapment efficiency of formulation F2 was found to be 76.53±0.24. The average particles sizes of the nanoparticles were found to increase on storage, which may be due to aggregation of particles. This effect was encountered lower in the case of formulation stored at 4^oC, which signify that aggregation can be regulated by regulating temperature and hence ideal storage condition of SLNs are at 4^oC than those stored at 27^oC. Fluconazole-SLNs in vitro drug release was conducted in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) at 37^oC. In vitro cumulative % drug release from F2 SLN formulation was found 56 % in PBS (pH-7.4) over 48 h.